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Institutional Awards

Award for Excellence in Facilities Management

The APPA Award for Excellence in Facilities Management (AFE) is designed to recognize and advance excellence in educational facilities. Initially established in 1988, the AFE is APPA’s highest institutional honor and provides educational institutions the opportunity for national and international recognition for their outstanding achievements in facilities management. The award highlights the essential role of facilities operations in the overall institutional mission and vision. AFE nominations are evaluated using the same criteria applied through the Facilities Management Evaluation Program (FMEP) in leadership, strategic and operational planning, customer focus, information and analysis, development and management of human resources, process management, and performance results. Nominated institutions also submit to a site review conducted by an awards evaluation team when appropriate. The AFE designation is valid for five years.

Eligibility Requirements

The AFE is open to any APPA Institutional member in good standing through applying and accepting the award. Multi-campus or state systems may also submit applications for system-wide or individual operations. 

 

Nominations for the 2026 awards cycle will open December 1, 2025.

Effective and Innovative Practices Award

APPA’s Effective & Innovative Practices Award recognizes programs and processes that enhance service delivery, lower costs, increase productivity, improve customer service, generate revenue, or otherwise benefit the educational institution. Award nomination entries must describe either a new program or a significant restructuring of an existing program or process. Recipients will receive special recognition on both APPA’s website and in APPA’s Facilities Manager magazine.

Eligibility Requirements

The Effective and Innovative Practices Award is open to any good-standing APPA Institutional member who applies and accepts the award. Multi-campus or state systems may also submit applications for system-wide or individual operations. 

Projects displaying a high level of innovation and adaptability/transferability for implementation at other schools have the best chance of being favorably ranked. Up to three submissions are selected per group. Groups include:

  • Four-year, public institutions or private institutions
  • Community College
  • K-12
Entries are judged on a point system based on:

Institutional Benefit

Describe how the initiative directly benefits the institution and its constituents. Provide the extent of the benefit and documented results and outcomes. The results must be factual and supported by data.

Innovativeness, Creativity, and Originality 

Describe in detail the level of innovation and creativity involved with the initiative. Describe how this initiative is unique and original and what differentiates it from similar efforts. Document the efforts to benchmark and determine the originality of the concept.

Portability and Resiliency

The initiative must be portable to other institutions without drastic alterations or costs to be recognized. It should be easy to implement without extensive customization.

Management Commitment and Employee Involvement

Describe the level of management commitment and the alignment with institutional goals. Provide information on the involvement of stakeholder groups and the participation of employees at all levels of the organization.

Documentation, Analysis, Customer Input, and Benchmarking

  • Information analysis is used to evaluate performance and drive future performance improvements. Of interest are the types of tools used (peer comparative data such as benchmarking) and how the tools are used to enhance the success of the effective practice. Documentation should be factual, clear, logical, and well-developed. The analysis must be clear and well-documented. Customer and stakeholder involvement would be described for each step of development and implementation. Benchmarks should establish experiences for others and help to define the originality of the practice.

 

Nominations for the 2026 awards cycle will open December 1, 2025.

Sustainability Innovation Award

APPA’s Sustainability Innovation Award in Facilities Management is designed to recognize and promote unique and innovative sustainable practices in educational facilities and campus environments. It is awarded to educational institutions that have implemented a significant or transformative program and/or processes that enhance service delivery, lower costs, create a green and/or sustainable environment, or otherwise benefit the educational institution by supporting student success and environmental stewardship. Award nomination entries must describe either one new program or a significant restructuring of an existing program or process. Recipients will receive special recognition on both APPA’s website and in APPA’s Facilities Manager magazine.

Eligibility Requirements

The Sustainability Innovation Award is open to any APPA Institutional member in good standing through applying and accepting the award. Multi-campus or state systems may also submit applications for system-wide or individual merit. Up to three submissions will be selected per group. Groups include:

  • Four-year, public institutions or private institutions
  • Community College
  • K-12
Entries are judged on a point system based on:
  • 1.0 Innovativeness, Creativity, and Originality
    • 1.1 The level of innovation is described in detail.
    • 1.2 The level of creativity is described in detail.
    • 1.3 The initiative is unique and original.
    • 1.4 Benchmarking against other initiatives is well documented.
  • 2.A. Sustainability (Economic Benefit)
    • Economic Benefit – The benefit is clearly defined/described. Economic analysis/documentation is provided/described.
  • 2.B. Sustainability (Environmental Benefit)
    • Environmental Benefit – Environmental benefits are clearly described/defined. The importance of attaining the benefits to the institution is detailed.
  • 2.C. Sustainability (Societal Benefit)
    • Societal Benefit –The effort/program’s ability to serve as an educational platform actively or passively, influence culture change, benefit economies, provide opportunity, enhance social equity, improve conditions for underserved populations.
  • 3.0 Adaptability and Transferability
    • 3.1 The initiative is adaptable/transferable to other institutions.
    • 3.2 Alterations and costs to apply at another institution are low.
    • 3.3 Ease of implementation without customization.
    • 3.4 The institution has made the initiative available to other institutions.
  • 4.0 Institutional and Community Benefit
    • 4.1 The initiative provides direct benefit to the institution.
    • 4.2 The initiative provides a direct benefit to the institution’s constituents.
    • 4.3 The extent of the benefit to the institution is clear.
    • 4.4 Results and outcomes are clearly described and documented.
    • 4.5 Results are factual and supported by data.
    • 4.6 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion illustrated demonstrated.
  • 5.0 Management Commitment and Employee/Student Involvement
    • 5.1 Institutional management commitment to the initiative is evident and documented.
    • 5.2 The initiative is aligned with institutional goals.
    • 5.3 Stakeholder involvement is described and documented
    • 5.4 Employee involvement and participation is evident at all levels of the organization.
    • 5.5 Post-initiative feedback is provided and documented.
  • 6.0 Documentation and Analysis
    • 6.1 Information analysis is used to evaluate performance.
    • 6.2 Information analysis is used to drive future performance improvements.
    • 6.3 Types of analysis tools used are described and demonstrated.
    • 6.4 The narrative describes how tools are used to enhance the success of the initiative.
    • 6.5 Documentation is factual, clear, logical, and well developed.

 

Nominations for the 2026 awards cycle will open December 1, 2025.